Team Members Profile
Chairman, Chief Executive Officer
EMAIL: bschafer@sr-re.com DIRECT DIAL: 612.359.5840 Bradley J. Schafer serves as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Schafer is a Founding Principal of Schafer Richardson and has over 37 years of commercial real estate experience. Mr. Schafer focuses on strategic planning, real estate investment strategies and capital formation. He is a member of the National Association of Realtors, the Minneapolis Association of Realtors, and the Urban Land Institute.
Director, President, Chief Operating Officer
EMAIL: snorcutt@sr-re.com DIRECT DIAL: 612.359.5859 Steven G. Norcutt serves as Director, President and Chief Operating Officer of the company. Mr. Norcutt joined Schafer Richardson in 2009 as Principal, President and Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Norcutt has over 35 years of experience in financial management, portfolio management and mortgage origination. Prior to joining Schafer Richardson, Mr. Norcutt served as Senior Vice President/Portfolio Manager of Structured Finance with ReliaStar (ING) for over 13 years. Mr. Norcutt serves on the Board of Directors of a NASDAQ member firm, New York Mortgage Trust (NYMT). He is the lead independent director with NYMT and serves on the Audit Committee and Governance Committee. Mr. Norcutt is a member of the Urban Land Institute and National Association of Office and Industrial Properties, Sensible Land Use Coalition.
Director, Secretary
EMAIL: krichardson@sr-re.com DIRECT DIAL: 612.359.5841 N. Christopher (Kit) Richardson serves as Director and Secretary of the company. Mr. Richardson is a Founding Principal of Schafer Richardson and a licensed Architect with over 44 years of experience in commercial real estate, real estate development, and architecture. Prior to forming Schafer Richardson, he was Vice President with Griffin Real Estate Company as an investment and land sales specialist for eight years. Prior to that, Mr. Richardson co-founded Architectural Associates, Inc., a Minneapolis based design firm with a focus on commercial interiors, in-fill urban projects, and historic preservation. He began his architectural career in the office of Ralph Rapson & Associates, having been a graduate program teaching assistant under Mr. Rapson at the University of Minnesota. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects, Urban Land Institute, the Sensible Land Use Coalition, Lambda Alpha Minnesota, and a former member of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board’s Tree Advisory Commission.
Director
Peter Bell is the former Chair of the Metropolitan Council, which is a cabinet-level position appointed by the Governor. Prior to his position at the Metropolitan Council, Peter was executive vice president of Publishing & Educational Services (PES) at the Hazelden Foundation in Center City, Minnesota. Before joining Hazelden, Peter was the cofounder and, for 15 years, executive director of the Institute on Black Chemical Abuse. He was appointed to serve on a commission to the White House Conference on a Drug-Free America. He has written numerous books on chemical dependence, and for his pioneering effort, was named ABC Evening News Person of the Week in 1989. In addition to his work in chemical dependence, Peter served for five years as executive vice president of corporate community relations of TCF Financial Corporation. Peter has or currently serves on the board of directors of numerous local and national social, civic and business organizations, including TCF Bank, The Citizens League, Center of the American Experiment, CommonBond, TCRISE!, and was a founding member and chair of the Center for New Black Leadership, based in Washington, D.C. Peter was appointed to the Board of Regents for the University of Minnesota in the fall of 2002. He was also appointed to the transition teams for both Governor Ventura, Governor Pawlenty and Mayor Hodges. Peter appears frequently on the editorial pages of the Star Tribune, provides commentary for Almanac, a statewide public affairs television program and often provides political and social commentary for MPR.
Director
Jim Hansen has been President of Hill-Murray High School since 2015. Prior to joining Hill Murray he was Chairman of the Board of JAMF Holdings and Reliable Property Services. Mr. Hansen was formerly Chairman and CEO of a publicly traded technology company, President of a privately held medical services company, Senior Vice President of Washington Square Capital; Vice President of the Apache Corporation; and a Management Consultant. Jim has been a strong supporter and contributor to civic and non-profit organizations. He has served as Chairman for the Freshwater Foundation, President of the St. Paul Jaycees, a member of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO), a board member on the St. Paul Chamber of Commerce and Solid Ground Shelter as well as the Mahtomedi School Board. He also served as lead director on two publicly traded and two private companies in technology. Jim has been recognized as a Distinguished Alumni of the Year by the University of Minnesota and taught at the University of St. Thomas. Jim holds a BA in Physiology and a BS in Physics; both from the University of Minnesota, as well as an MBA from the University of St. Thomas.
Director
Dave Smith invested in Buddy’s Kitchen, Inc. in September 2007 and became its CEO at that time. After a decade of rapid growth, Buddy’s was sold in late 2017 to a publicly-traded Canadian food company, with Dave remaining as its CEO. Prior to Buddy’s, Dave led Mark VII Equipment as CEO and was a founding manager of Nationwide Electric - both private equity-backed firms that concluded with successful exits. Earlier in his career, Dave led companies in the manufacturing and commercial real estate industries. Dave earned his MBA at Harvard and his BA at Macalester College. He has been married to Lisa for 34 years, has three grown children, and works diligently at staying young at heart.
Director
Jeff Wright runs a business advisory practice that focuses on strategic financial consulting. In addition to SR Realty Trust, he currently serves on the board of directors of Hawkins, Inc., Lube-Tech, LLC, and E. A. Sween Co. Previously, he was EVP and CFO for 16 years at G&K Services, Inc., a $900 million publicly-traded work apparel and facility management services company. In addition to oversight of all financial aspects of G&K, at various times he managed the Information Technology and Human Resources functions, and also ran the Direct Sales and Cleanroom operating divisions. He played a lead role in negotiating and integrating over 40 acquisitions. During the last 5 years of his tenure, he also served on G&K’s board of directors. Prior to G&K, he was an executive with BMC Industries, Inc., Employee Benefit Plans, Inc. and Arthur Andersen LLP. Jeff is a graduate of the University of St. Thomas. Jeff is also active in the community, previously serving on the board of directors of the Greater Twin Cities United Way and was Chair of the Audit Committee. He also served as President of the G&K Services Foundation and was Chairman of the Textile Rental Services Association. Jeff has been married to his spouse Sheri for over 30 years and they have three adult children.
Treasurer
EMAIL: gspringer@sr-re.com DIRECT DIAL: 612.305.7081 Gregory J. Springer serves as the Company’s Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer. Mr. Springer joined Schafer Richardson in 2014 and oversees the financial and administrative aspects of the business. His responsibilities at Schafer Richardson include accounting, planning, treasury, risk management, human resources, employee benefits, technology and transaction processing. Before joining Schafer Richardson, Mr. Springer served as the Chief Financial Officer of a privately-held distributor of mid-range computer solutions, and previously held senior financial positions at United Health Group and Arthur Andersen LLP. Mr. Springer has developed an expertise in a broad array of financial and operational activities with a strong orientation to effective business processes, policies and controls. He is a licensed Certified Public Accountant (inactive) and has extensive experience in public reporting, acquisitions and integrations, and banking relationships.
Senior Vice President - Investments
EMAIL: erichardson@sr-re.com DIRECT DIAL: 612-359-5849 Evan C. Richardson currently serves as Senior Vice President – Investments of SR Realty Trust. Mr. Richardson joined SR Realty Trust’s parent company, Schafer Richardson, in 2013 to lead the company’s efforts to structure and capitalize new initiatives, investment funds, single-asset partnerships and joint venture activities. Today, Mr. Richardson is responsible for all acquisitions and capital markets activities within SR Realty Trust. Prior to joining Schafer Richardson, Evan was a member of the Capital Markets Group at Cushman & Wakefield (formerly NorthMarq). During his tenure, the Capital Markets Group listed, sold, or consulted on more than nine million square feet of commercial real estate representing approximately three quarters of a billion dollars of aggregate value. Mr. Richardson is a member of the National Association of Office and Industrial Properties.
General Counsel
EMAIL: JWelk@sr-re.com DIRECT DIAL: 612.314.1697 Jessica L. Welk serves as the General Counsel for Schafer Richardson. She leads the company’s legal team and supports Schafer Richardson’s Development, Asset Management, Property Management, Construction, Leasing, Accounting and SR Realty Trust teams. She focuses on the legal aspects of development projects, from origination to closing, and provides legal guidance to the company. She brings more than 13 years of legal experience: prior to joining Schafer Richardson, Welk served as Senior Assistant General Counsel for Sherman Associates for over 5 years, and worked for law firms before moving in-house. Welk holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Middlebury College and a Juris Doctor from the University of St. Thomas School of Law.
Vice President, Asset Management
EMAIL: tmott@sr-re.com DIRECT DIAL: 612.359.5844 Thomas M. Mott joined Schafer Richardson as Vice President, Asset Management in 2020. He is responsible for the financial and strategic goals of SR Realty Trust and affiliated Schafer Richardson properties. Tom has over 25 years of experience in commercial property and asset management. Prior to joining Schafer Richardson, Tom served as Vice President, Asset Management for nine years. He has been instrumental in the acquisition, repositioning and disposition of a variety of property types both locally and nationally. Tom holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and Management from Minnesota State University (formerly Mankato State University) and Master of Science from Boston University. He is actively involved in NAIOP.
Vice President, Acquisitions
EMAIL: tsawatske@sr-re.com DIRECT DIAL: 612.359.5857 Tom Sawatske, CFA, serves as Vice President of Acquisitions. In this role, Tom has primary responsibility for leading the acquisition and finance efforts for SR Realty Trust (SRRT). His focus is on sourcing, underwriting, and closing new investment opportunities across multiple asset classes, including industrial, and multifamily properties in SRRT’s target geographies. Prior to joining Schafer Richardson, Tom worked at The Excelsior Group and its successor, Sotarra, with broad responsibility in acquisitions, development, and asset management. He also previously worked in the commercial real estate lending units of Wells Fargo and Bank of the Ozarks, originating real estate loans in excess of $1 billion. Tom holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of Notre Dame and is a CFA Charterholder.
Associate General Counsel
EMAIL: thainje@sr-re.com DIRECT DIAL: 612.314.1592 Thomas J. Hainje serves as Associate General Counsel for Schafer Richardson, and provides guidance to Schafer Richardson’s Development, Asset Management, Property Management, Construction, Leasing, Accounting, and SR Realty Trust teams on a wide array of legal matters. Mr. Hainje is an experienced real estate, business, and commercial transaction and litigation attorney. Prior to joining Schafer Richardson as in-house counsel, Mr. Hainje spent more than 13 years in private practice at several respected law firms in Minneapolis. Mr. Hainje focuses primarily on real estate transactions, leases, real estate and business financing, contract drafting and negotiations, litigation, insurance, and business formation, structuring, sales, and acquisitions. He is licensed to practice in Minnesota State Court (2009), Wisconsin State Court (2017), and in the United States District Courts for the District of Minnesota (2010), Western District of Wisconsin (2020), and Eastern District of Wisconsin (2020). Mr. Hainje holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Business Law from Winona State University (Summa Cum Laude), and a Juris Doctorate degree from Mitchell Hamline School of Law f/k/a Hamline University School of Law.
Investor Services Manager
EMAIL: lhanneman@sr-re.com DIRECT DIAL: 612.305.7083 Laura J. Hanneman joined Schafer Richardson and SR Realty Trust in 2018 as a member of the Capital Markets team and is the Investor Services Manager. In this role, Laura works on all aspects of the Company’s investor relations, equity sales, and marketing efforts. Most recently, Laura was a part of the Minneapolis Multi-Family Investment Sales team at CBRE. She brings nearly two decades of commercial real estate experience and involvement in over four billion dollars of investment sales to Schafer Richardson and SR Realty Trust. Laura holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing and Management from St. Catherine University. She has her Minnesota real estate sales person license and is a member of Team Women.
Senior Asset Manager
EMAIL: ascheetz@sr-re.com DIRECT DIAL: 952.228.9560 Anna Scheetz, CCIM currently serves as a Senior Asset Manager. In her role, Anna is responsible for executing the overall asset management strategy of SR Realty Trust and affiliated Schafer Richardson entities. Anna has been working in commercial real estate since 2011 and brings experience managing all types of real estate including office, industrial, retail, multifamily and senior housing. Anna has held various roles in asset management at Reuter Walton Development, Wildamere Capital Management, The RMR Group and Welsh Companies/Colliers International. Anna received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Luther College. She is an active member of BOMA Greater Minneapolis, CCIM Minnesota/Dakotas chapter, MNCAR and NAIOP and has held board positions with BOMA and CCIM. Anna has her MN real estate salesperson license and completed her CCIM designation in 2019.
Senior Asset Manager
EMAIL: khowat@sr-re.com DIRECT DIAL: 612.305.7092 Kevin Howat joined Shafer Richardson in 2022 as a Senior Asset Manager with a particular focus on the company’s multi-family assets. Kevin has over 25 years of experience including COO responsibilities for two privately held apartment management companies. He has also served as a senior asset manager with several institutional investment managers (Shearson/American Express, Hudson Advisors, Fortress Investment Group, Wildamere Capital Management) with portfolios covering all property types located in over twenty states. In many of these environments, Kevin has authored policy manuals, coordinated risk management activities, and supervised accounting and reporting software implementations. Kevin earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Lewis and Clark College. He is an active member of NAIOP Minnesota, including service as its public policy director.
Senior Asset Manager
EMAIL: pgibbs@sr-re.com DIRECT DIAL: 651.492.6318 Paul Gibbs joined Schafer Richardson as Senior Asset Manager in 2022 with a primary focus on office, industrial, and retail assets. Paul brings more than 15 years of experience in commercial real estate including asset management responsibilities for The Excelsior Group and Vice President of Corporate Real Estate for TCF Bank (merged with Huntington Bank in 2021). In his role at TCF Bank, he provided senior leadership for the corporate real estate team through two bank mergers while overseeing the bank’s real estate portfolio, including asset management, strategic planning, transaction management, M&A due diligence, and lease administration for 680 sites in over 20 states. Prior to TCF, Paul was a commercial real estate broker where he focused on tenant representation and portfolio management. Paul holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from the University of Northwestern – St. Paul. He has been a panelist at SIOR’s World Conference and volunteers in various capacities for activities his kids are involved with.
Asset Management Analyst
EMAIL: jevenson@sr-re.com Jackie Evenson joined Schafer Richardson in July 2022. As an Asset Management Analyst, she assists with the preparation of quarterly and annual reports along with reviewing financial statements, annual budgets, and key performance metrics. Prior to joining Schafer Richardson, she was a Senior Assurance Auditor in the Financial Services Organization of Ernst & Young. Jackie graduated with both her Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Accounting from the University of St. Thomas.